And there are many that find video and images of their assault posted through social media and shared through text messages. Theres something so powerful and beautiful about that. She could never have imagined that her death would unite friends and supporters with an international force of hacktivists and anti-bully activists. This article originally appeared on VICE Canada. Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. Just as rape and sex have nothing to do with each other, pictures shared with and without consent are completely different things.. (The Parsons family has pushed for Rehtaeh's name to be published and her story to be told. I never spoke to my so called friend again but she did refer to me as slut from then on. I wish I had known her :(, It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. ~ Marcus Aurelius, 2023 All rights reserved Glenford Canning. Arrests were made in that case. A man has walked free from court after he was convicted of sharing a sexually explicit image of himself with a 15-year-old girl who then killed herself after being bullied over it. [3][4] On a Facebook page set up in tribute to her daughter, Parsons' mother blamed the four boys who allegedly raped and released images of her, the subsequent constant "bullying and messaging and harassment", and the failure of the Canadian justice system, for her daughter's decision to commit suicide.[5]. It is because these participants are in control of their choices. The group was a gathering place for those who supported the boys rather than Rehtaeh. The alleged rape went unreported for several days until Parsons broke down and told her family, who contacted an emergency health team and the police. [22][23][24][25] The report was delayed until legal proceedings involving two men charged with child pornography offences in the case concluded. Thumbs up. The Barista Express grinds, foams milk, and produces the silkiest espresso at the perfect temperature. She is giving her consent to be photographed, and aware these images will be posted on the internet. Blatchford calls that "a courageous challenge to the public narrative" around the case and calls the teen "brave." How could the police press no charges in a case where obvious child pornography spread virally across an entire high school? The man said that he did not expect the photo to be shared among people. Thank you for your message. Parsons died in April after a suicide attempt at the age of 17. I just never imagined it would be at such a young age and it would cost her her life.". On April 15, the group was deactivated, but not before organizing a counterprotest and postering in real life, in the fashion of the Westboro Baptist Church, setting up across the street from a pro-Rehtaeh demonstration and sticking posters in front of the Parsons house. This still does not justify the unfairness of what happened, but I hope it can give you and Rehtaehs mother some sense of peace and acceptance. Two 18-year-old men were arrested on. Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, died just days after a suicide attempt that followed years of cyberbullying after she was allegedly gang-raped at a party. After she was born I spent the next seven years in university and she was my driving force. Through the eyes of her parents, this film re-examines these alarming events, which ultimately led to Rehtaeh's suicide. Rehtaehs story is well documented in the media. In 2012, another Canadian teen, Amanda Todd, committed suicide after a tormenter coaxed her into flashing her breasts on a teen videochat site, then harassed and blackmailed her for years by sharing X-rated images of her across the Internet. "I was unable to console her as she crumbled emotionally after that photo was taken. Kevin Morris is a veteran web reporter and editor who specializes in longform journalism. You need to have a number of people holding [the government] to account and seeing what's actually done", said Dalhousie law professor Wayne MacKay. Update:2 arrests made in Rehtaeh Parsons rape case. The two who were in the photo and took the photo, respectively, are both now 20; one pled guilty to manufacturing child pornography and the other to distributing it. never seized any of the boys phones, computers, or hard drives. A vicious campaign of cyber bullying ensues that drives an innocent girl to take desperate action. We must understand what is at stake when these images go viral, whether they were taken by the women themselves or their lovers, but especially when the women arenot consentingto what is taking place in these pictures or videos. The legacy of Rehtaeh Parsons In the 5 years since her tragic death, the image of the alleged rape of the Nova Scotia teenager has sparked outrage, reviews, and new laws but also an awakening. In November of 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was gang raped at a party by four of her male peers. "[24] Segal found that it was "important that either police or school authorities" speak to the students. He told us that while the names of the boys themselves took no more than two hours, finding the actual proof, in terms of incriminating posts, messages, and photos, took a team of several people less than a week. She called me a slut and a liar and swore he would never do that. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The day after she discovered the photo, she formed a suicide plan and came close to putting it in effect, ex-plaining that she couldn't see another option. [16] In an unusual move for a case involving minors convicted of a crime, the judge ruled that this conviction would be kept in his criminal record for a period of five years. The RCMP expressed concern that the posters might lead to vigilantism, although they did not name the accused. [18][19] One conclusion of the report was that Nova Scotian schools "need to do a better job preventing harassment and sexual aggression". 35 reviews. A Nova Scotia man who texted a photo that showed him penetrating a 15-year-old girl and flashing a thumbs-up while she vomited won't see the inside of a prison anytime soon. Rehtaeh is gone today because of the four boys that thought that raping a 15 year old girl was OK and to distribute a photo to ruin her spirit and reputation would be fun. A review into the handling of the Rehtaeh Parsons case by the RCMP and Nova Scotia's Public Prosecution Service says it was reasonable of the Crown to conclude there was no realistic prospect that . Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, killed herself after photos of the incident were widely shared and months of cyber-bullying from her peers. So the public has a right to know who these rapists are, who these sexual deviants are. "Where's the consent? I had to read it more than once. Rehtaeh's death prompted the Nova Scotia government to launch reviews of the RCMP's original investigation and the school board's handling of the matter. Others in this world took that away from her. The policenever seized any of the boys phones, computers, or hard drives. Its about highlighting the facts of that night. [10] On April 12, the RCMP announced the case was being reopened in light of "new and credible information" that they said did not come from the Internet.[11]. [8] The story drew international attention and sparked outrage on the Internet, with CBC reporting the phrase "Nova Scotia" was "trending on Twitter worldwide. This inquiry, which was requested by the Dexter government in August 2013 and released on October 8, 2015, during the government of Stephen McNeil, was performed by Murray Segal, a former chief prosecutor in Ontario. She was 17 when she died. According to Rehtaeh's mother, Leah Parsons, the Nova Scotia teenager went to a party in 2011, when she was 15, and became drunk on vodka. The Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, applauded the progress in the case and said Rehtaeh's death was a terrible tragedy that touched people across Canada. . Her mother said a boy took a photo of the alleged assault in 2011 and that her daughter was bullied for months after it was distributed online. [29] In its news release, Anonymous blamed the death on "school teachers, administrators, the police and prosecutors, those who should have been role models in the late Rehtaeh's life. Halifax police Chief Jean-Michel Blais said policed and prosecutors agreed the available evidence did not meet the threshold for sexual assault charges against the two. 04/11/13 AT 12:22 PM. In September 2014, one of the boys, by then 20, pleaded guilty to a charge of making child pornography in relation to the photo of Parsons. Press J to jump to the feed. Nobody expects them to shout from the rooftops. I went back to my friends house to sleep over after this with her and told her what happened. They gave no thought at all to her. Six years after Rehtaeh's death her life and struggle is still making a difference in peoples lives. Oregon Tea Party raid. When given a chance to speak Thursday, the man who posed for the photo said, "I have already apologized to Rehtaeh a few days after the picture was sent." "You should have been crying when she was alive," the judge told him. Your email address will not be published. When a girl ends her life after two years of slut-shaming and harassment, including watching photos of her attack spread around Facebook and her high school, people dont forget so easily. Until recently, Parsons's name was the subject of a publication ban as she was underage when the photo was taken, and thus it qualified as child pornography. Editor-in-Chief of Miss Millennia Magazine. Web of Lies - After a teenage house party spirals out of control, a shocking photo goes viral around the local schools. The desire to objectify, to dominate, and assault? I wanted these women to be subjects, not objects. Rape and revenge porn is about power. Also in November 2014, the second person charged, then 19, pleaded guilty to a charge of distributing child pornography, in relation to the photo of himself and Parsons. Rehtaeh Parsons' suicide caused outcry across North America (AP) Facebook has issued an apology after publishing a dating advertisement that used a picture of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old. And the message they relay. He's looking at the camera and giving a thumbs-up. The Halifax-area teen committed suicide after allegedly being gang rape. Previously, the team had withheld the names at the request of Leah Parsons until after the funeral. Neither was given any jail time. Facebook. I can assure you we had the names of the alleged rapists within hours of the story going live, he said: Unfortunately a few short-sighted Anons have rushed to release names (almost every dox Ive seen has incorrect names). The girl told her parents that while she was heavily. Holten is right when she says that rape and sex have nothing to do with one another. Police in Canada have charged two young men with distributing child pornography in the cyberbullying case of Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old who killed herself after a photo of her allegedly. Then the slut-shaming, bullying and mental health challenges that are so often experienced by the victims of sexual assault followed her for. Really? I am so very sorry for what happened to Rehtaeh. In a memorial gallery the Parsons family posted to YouTube, you can see Rehtaeh holding her newborn sister in her arms, her mother smiling in the background. I got extremely messed up. During the sentencing hearing, the courtroom was packed with reporters tweeting Rehtaeh's name. He led the Daily Dots esports vertical and, following its acquisition by GAMURS in late 2016, launched Dot Esports, where he serves as the sites editor-in-chief. Her parents said she was sexually assaulted when she was 15 years old and then bullied relentlessly for more than a year. Holten is empowered by these photos. And of course, theres backlash. Consent is key. We consider a womans sexuality so linked to her physicality that for a woman to appear naked publicly is automatically an act of sex and not for herself My prerogative was to share the stories and plight of women just like you or me. Search from Rehtaeh Parsons Photos stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. ", The man who appeared in the photo "displayed absolutely no respect" for Rehtaeh, Judge Gregory Lenehan said in his ruling. Thats right: the group designed to support the boys had been responsible for leaking the name of one of the accused. The man, 20, who remains anonymous under Canadian law as he was 17 at the time, is the second person convicted of distributing child pornography charges after spreading a photo via text message of Rehtaeh Parsons, who committed suicide in April 2013 after being tormented by those who viewed the image. Two 18-year-old men were booked on child. Dont worry, we wont send spam! The outrage over. How and why is she being sentenced? "Humans make mistakes," said the young man, who turned 20 yesterday. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. The episode, The Girl in the Photo, was released yesterday in the United States and, going by the comments, emails, and Facebook posts Im receiving, it made quite an impact. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Rehtaeh, 17, was taken off life-support in April 2013 following a suicide attempt after the explicit photo of her was circulated amongst her peers in Cole Harbour, N.S. This page was last edited on 14 December 2022, at 08:33. The teen's family said she was tormented for months after a digital photo of the alleged November, 2011 gang rape was circulated around her school. He admitted to sharing the picture of himself and the girl, that was taken during a small house party at his home in November 2011, and was given 12 months probation by a court in Nova Scotia. Rehtaeh Parsons Case Connected To Stabbing? [18][19][20] The provincial government of Darrell Dexter requested the report, which is entitled "External Review of the Halifax Regional School Boards Support of Rehtaeh Parsons". Rehtaeh Parsons killed herself after she said she had been raped and bullied (Facebook) Hacktivist group Anonymous has threatened to release the names of four boys accused of . The dox continues for nearly 5,000 words, exhaustively quoting the Speak the Truth Facebook group, which was deactivated on April 15 after multiple complaints from, among others, Rehtaehs father. [19] School boards need to share more information when kids transfer schools, as Parsons did to escape harassment. And y is this anonymous group involed with this one n not any other of the suicides or rapes that have happend in the last 2yrs. The girl we couldn't names attacker whom we also can't name as he is also underage to be sentenced today for not being the dead kid in a picture we can't show you. On Sunday he and his wife had to take her off of life support. She later locked herself in a bathroom and attempted suicide. Rehtaeh quickly became intoxicated and was left behind in a home with four males. He said he would like to apologize to her parents through his lawyer. The tone can be expressed with a few quotes: Oh my I dun think this shits ever gunna end nothings gunna happen this time just like before no eveidence n people keep talkin bout chargeing them for child porn well fuck gotta charge a whole bunch of people every single person that got the pic I guess all them gotta b charged aswell OH MY! "This has had a huge negative impact on me," he said. Only a year later, the police concluded their investigation stating that there was insufficient evidence despite a viral photograph of Rehtaeh with her rapists. Fed up with the abuse that continues on and offline against a dead rape victim and her family, hacker collective Anonymous decided the law wasnt working fast enough. Two Anonymous protesters and Ivan Herritt at the Nova Scotia courthouse. VICE Canada respected the ban while it was in place. In March, 21-year-old Dennis Warrington was finally sentenced to 18 months probation, but no jail time, for his role in distributing the pictures. This attempt was apparently thwarted by school authorities. Never has the message been so powerful than Caitlin Staseys (ofReign)Herself,a feminist website that features not only nude photographs of women but also in-depth interviews with each participant. [6] The teenagers were drinking vodka at a small party. Each photograph becomes a subject. But her life was derailed when she went to a friend's house for a sleepover and the two of them dropped by at a .